AI Shortlist Index — September 2026 Edition

Headline findings

One engine, ChatGPT, has answered 25 prompts in each of 20 categories, 500 runs in all: three categories captured on 19 and 20 September 2026, the other seventeen on 2 and 3 October 2026. Every number here is one run deep, where the protocol calls for three across at least two days, so read the rankings as a first reading rather than a result.

The engine mostly reads vendors' own websites. Across the twenty most-cited domains in each category, 72% of citations went to vendor-owned sites and under 1% to forums. Whether a vendor gets named depends largely on what its own site says, not on review platforms.

The clearest leaders: EliseAI was named in every AI leasing assistant run, ChargePoint in 96% of EV charging runs, and Luxer One, SmartRent and Second Nature (in HVAC filter delivery) in 95% of theirs. At the other end, no vendor in affordable housing compliance was named in more than 26% of runs.

ChatGPT cited webpossible.com 16 times across 8 of the 20 categories. WebPossible publishes the Index, so each category's source map marks webpossible.com as the publisher's own site.

Engines

Resident Benefits Platforms

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, from ChatGPT with web search. Second Nature led at 86%, CredHub followed at 60% and Piñata at 54%, and 17 of the 18 vendors in the database were named at least once. Of the twenty most-cited domains, 82% of citations went to vendor sites, led by secondnature.com with 35. The category rewards vendors who explain their own program in depth on their own domain. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Second Nature 86%
2. CredHub 60%
3. Piñata 54%
4. Latchel 52%
5. Boom 36%

Top 5 of 31 named, 25 runs. The full RBPs table for September 2026 · live category page.

Multifamily Access Control

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, from ChatGPT with web search. ButterflyMX led at 83%, with Salto at 76% and Brivo at 75%, and every one of the 18 vendors in the database was named at least once. Vendor sites took 83% of the citations among the top twenty domains, and butterflymx.com alone drew 43. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. ButterflyMX 83%
2. Salto 76%
3. Brivo 75%
4. SmartRent 65%
5. DOOR 43%

Top 5 of 27 named, 25 runs. The full access control table for September 2026 · live category page.

Maintenance & Vendor Network Software

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, from ChatGPT with web search. Property Meld was named in 91% of runs, Lula in 65% and Latchel in 64%, and all 13 vendors in the database were named at least once. The most-cited domains were latchel.com, propertymeld.com and lula.life, and Property Meld's documentation subdomain drew 17 citations on its own. A support site earning that many citations suggests the engine reaches for product documentation when a prompt asks how something actually works. Treat the ranking as a first reading; the full protocol is three runs per prompt per engine across at least two days.

1. Property Meld 91%
2. Lula 65%
3. Latchel 64%
4. HappyCo 24%
5. Vendoroo 20%

Top 5 of 18 named, 25 runs. The full maintenance software table for September 2026 · live category page.

Utility Management

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. Conservice was named in 83% of runs, Zego in 52% and Guardian Water & Power in 39%; 11 of the 20 vendors named appeared in 12% of runs or fewer. conservice.com was the most-cited domain, with 27 citations. One billing company sets the default answer here, and everyone else competes for the second slot. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Conservice 83%
2. Zego 52%
3. Guardian Water & Power 39%
4. Anchor Utility 28%
5. Minol USA 27%

Top 5 of 20 named, 25 runs. The full utility management table for September 2026 · live category page.

Parking Management

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. Community Boss was named in 82% of runs, Parkade in 65% and ParkM in 64%. Vendor sites took 90% of the citations among the top twenty domains, the highest share in the edition, led by communityboss.com with 36. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Community Boss 82%
2. Parkade 65%
3. ParkM 64%
4. Reliant Parking 48%
5. ApartmentPermits 24%

Top 5 of 19 named, 25 runs. The full parking management table for September 2026 · live category page.

EV Charging for Multifamily

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. ChargePoint was named in 96% of runs, SWTCH Energy in 83% and EverCharge in 65%. Five of the 25 answers pointed to Michigan utility rebates from DTE or Consumers Energy: the app passes an approximate location to the model, and these runs were captured from Michigan. The chargers and operators those answers named were national companies. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. ChargePoint 96%
2. SWTCH Energy 83%
3. EverCharge 65%
4. Xeal 38%
5. EV Connect 32%

Top 5 of 19 named, 25 runs. The full EV charging table for September 2026 · live category page.

Community Engagement Apps

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. Livly was named in 65% of runs, Cobu in 60% and Flamingo in 57%, and 27 vendors were named at least once, 18 of them in 12% of runs or fewer. The category has no settled shortlist yet; the engine assembles a different one for almost every question. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Livly 65%
2. Cobu 60%
3. Flamingo 57%
4. BuildingLink 35%
5. ElevateOS 32%

Top 5 of 27 named, 25 runs. The full community engagement apps table for September 2026 · live category page.

HOA Management Software

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. Vantaca was named in 87% of runs, CINC Systems in 82% and Enumerate in 68%. cincsystems.com and vantaca.com were the two most-cited domains, with 26 and 25 citations. The Index does not rank property management systems; AppFolio came up in 14 of the 25 answers and Buildium in 8. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Vantaca 87%
2. CINC Systems 82%
3. Enumerate 68%
4. PayHOA 46%
5. FRONTSTEPS 43%

Top 5 of 16 named, 25 runs. The full HOA management software table for September 2026 · live category page.

CRE Facilities Management

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. Building Engines was named in 74% of runs, Facilio in 48% and MaintainX in 35%. buildingengines.com drew 33 citations, twice the next domain. MRI Angus came up in 13 of the 25 answers; it sits outside the ranking because the Index does not rank property management system modules. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Building Engines 74%
2. Facilio 48%
3. MaintainX 35%
4. UpKeep 30%
5. Limble 28%

Top 5 of 19 named, 25 runs. The full facilities management table for September 2026 · live category page.

Affordable Housing Compliance

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. No vendor was named in more than 26% of runs: Preferred Compliance Solutions and US Housing Consultants were at 26%, TenantAudit at 22%. Vendor sites took 47% of the citations among the top twenty domains, the lowest share in the edition, and yardi.com was the most-cited domain with 19. In 14 of the 25 answers a property management system was named before any ranked vendor; the Index does not rank those systems. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Preferred Compliance Solutions 26%
2. US Housing Consultants 26%
3. TenantAudit 22%
4. Spectrum Enterprises 20%
5. Pronto Housing 17%

Top 5 of 16 named, 25 runs. The full affordable housing compliance software table for September 2026 · live category page.

Package Management

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. Luxer One was named in 95% of runs, Parcel Pending in 87% and Package Concierge in 62%. Only 15 vendors were named at all, one of the tightest fields in the edition. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Luxer One 95%
2. Parcel Pending by Quadient 87%
3. Package Concierge 63%
4. Amazon Hub Apartment Locker 40%
5. Position Imaging 32%

Top 5 of 15 named, 25 runs. The full package management table for September 2026 · live category page.

Resident Experience & Amenities

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. Livly was named in 68% of runs, ElevateOS in 44% and Zego in 43%, and 41 vendors were named at least once, the widest field in the edition. The category is still defined by the question: amenity booking, resident apps and service add-ons each pull in a different set of names. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Livly 68%
2. ElevateOS 44%
3. Zego 43%
4. BuildingLink 42%
5. Flamingo 32%

Top 5 of 41 named, 25 runs. The full resident experience platforms table for September 2026 · live category page.

Pest Control Programs

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. Terminix Commercial was named in 61% of runs, Pest Share in 55% and Orkin Commercial in 52%. Six of the 25 answers recommended local exterminators near the capture location in Michigan instead of a national program; local providers are not ranked, so the national vendors' rates read low. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Terminix Commercial 61%
2. Pest Share 55%
3. Orkin Commercial 52%
4. Rentokil 40%
5. Second Nature 30%

Top 5 of 9 named, 25 runs. The full pest control programs table for September 2026 · live category page.

Renters Insurance Programs

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. Foxen was named in 76% of runs, LeaseTrack in 60% and Assurant in 52%. foxen.com was the most-cited domain, with 31 citations. All three leaders were added to the vendor database during this edition's review, after the engine named them. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Foxen 76%
2. LeaseTrack 60%
3. Assurant 52%
4. RealPage Insurance Solutions 39%
5. ResidentShield 38%

Top 5 of 16 named, 25 runs. The full renters insurance programs table for September 2026 · live category page.

Tenant Screening

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. TransUnion SmartMove was named in 48% of runs, Plaid in 36%, RentPrep in 35% and Nova Credit in 32%. In 10 of the 25 answers a property management system was named before any ranked vendor; the Index does not rank those systems. The most-cited domains were rentmanager.com and yardi.com, 17 citations each. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. TransUnion SmartMove 48%
2. Plaid 36%
3. RentPrep 35%
4. Nova Credit 32%
5. Snappt 30%

Top 5 of 21 named, 25 runs. The full tenant screening table for September 2026 · live category page.

AI Leasing Assistants

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. EliseAI was named in every run, Funnel in 87%, Knock in 58% and BetterBot in 57%. Only 11 vendors were named at all. This is the most settled shortlist in the edition. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. EliseAI 100%
2. Funnel 87%
3. Knock 58%
4. BetterBot 57%
5. Hyly.AI 28%

Top 5 of 11 named, 25 runs. The full AI leasing assistants table for September 2026 · live category page.

Rent Payments

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. Zego was named in 52% of runs, ClickPay in 48% and Flex in 39%. In 13 of the 25 answers a property management system was named before any ranked vendor; the Index does not rank those systems. Vendor sites took 50% of the citations among the top twenty domains. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Zego 52%
2. ClickPay 48%
3. Flex 39%
4. Aptexx 32%
5. Domuso 20%

Top 5 of 23 named, 25 runs. The full rent payment platforms table for September 2026 · live category page.

Security Deposit Alternatives

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. Jetty was named in 92% of runs, Rhino in 91% and Obligo in 87%, three near-equal leaders. Rhino's support site was the most-cited domain, with 34 citations. Rhino and Jetty merged in 2025 and now sell as Greenlight. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Jetty 92%
2. Rhino 91%
3. Obligo 87%
4. TheGuarantors 67%
5. Qira 52%

Top 5 of 13 named, 25 runs. The full deposit alternatives table for September 2026 · live category page.

HVAC Filter Delivery

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. Second Nature was named in 95% of runs and FilterTime in 86%; no one else passed 32%, and only 7 vendors were named at all. For practical purposes this is a two-vendor category in the engine's view. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. Second Nature 95%
2. FilterTime 86%
3. Filterbuy 32%
4. Latchel 8%
5. Filters Direct USA 4%

Top 5 of 7 named, 25 runs. The full filter delivery programs table for September 2026 · live category page.

Smart Home for Multifamily

Twenty-five prompts, one run each, captured from the ChatGPT app in early October 2026. SmartRent was named in 95% of runs and PointCentral in 83%; iApartments, ButterflyMX and Quext followed at around 40%. smartrent.com was the most-cited domain, with 37 citations. One run per prompt; read it as a first reading.

1. SmartRent 95%
2. PointCentral 83%
3. iApartments 40%
4. ButterflyMX 40%
5. Quext 39%

Top 5 of 19 named, 25 runs. The full smart home platforms table for September 2026 · live category page.